Method of keyword-based searching for a similar case study

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of searching for and locating a similar case study from a set of case studies (F i ), wherein case study keywords are assigned to each case study, the method involving accepting an input search query containing one or more search keywords (S j ), determining the most similar case study to each search keyword by a) calculating the distance from the search keyword to each case study keyword, b) establishing a minimum (D j ) of the distance, c) repeating steps a) and b) for each search keyword, d) summing the minima for each case study, e) sorting the summed minima by size, and outputting the case study with the smallest summed minima. The method of the present invention is particularly well suited for implementation in a computer and/or computer system.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of searching for and locating a similar case study from a set of case studies (F i ), wherein case study keywords are assigned to each case study, said method comprising: 
 accepting an input search query containing one or more search keywords (S j );    determining the most similar case study to each search keyword by 
 a) calculating the distance from the search keyword to each case study keyword,  
 b) establishing a minimum (D j ) of the distance,  
 c) repeating steps a) and b) for each search keyword,  
 d) summing the minima for each case study,  
 e) sorting the summed minima by size; and  
   outputting the case study with the smallest summed minima.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the case study keywords and the search keywords belong to the same union set of keywords.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the union set of keywords is organized into a tree structure.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein one of the case study keywords is assigned to each node of the tree structure and a weighting (G) is assigned to each branch in the tree structure, and a distance from the search keyword to the case study keyword is calculated by 
 determining a shortest path in the tree structure from the search keyword to the case study keyword, and    summing the weightings of the branches of the shortest path.    
     
     
         5 . The method according to one of claims  3  and  4 , wherein the tree structure comprises a plurality of trees and wherein each tree contains case study keywords of a particular category, such that the case study keywords of the individual trees form disjoint sets.  
     
     
         6 . A method of searching for and locating one or more similar case studies from a set of case studies (F i ), wherein case study keywords are assigned to each case study, said method comprising: 
 accepting an input search query containing one or more search keywords (S j );    determining the most similar case study to each search keyword by 
 a) calculating the distance from the search keyword to each case study keyword,  
 b) establishing a minimum (D j ) of the distance,  
 c) repeating steps a) and b) for each search keyword,  
 d) summing the minima for each case study,  
 e) sorting the summed minima by size; and  
   outputing the case studies in the form of list sorted by size of summed minima.    
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6  further including 
 displaying a case study selected by a user from the sorted list; and  
 automatically generating a search query with search keywords, which are rigidly assigned to the displayed case study upon user activation of a virtual control element for searching for a case study which is similar to the displayed case study.  
 
     
     
         8 . The method according to one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the search query is input into a server computer from a client computer, the search query from the client computer is processed and the case study is/output by the server computer to the client computer.  
     
     
         9 . A computer program comprising the method according to one of  claims 1  to  4  and  6 .  
     
     
         10 . A computer system with means for carrying out the method according to one of  claims 1  to  4  and  6 .  
     
     
         11 . A server computer for searching for and locating a similar case study from a set of case studies (F i ) comprising: 
 a first database containing case study files and the case study keywords assigned thereto;    a second database containing case study keywords organized into a tree structure;    a means for inputting a search query containing one or more search keywords (S j );    a means for outputting a case study; and    a computer program containing a set of instructions for determining the most similar case study to the search query comprising, 
 i. calculating the distances from the search keyword to each case study keyword,  
 ii. establishing a minimum (D j ) of the distances,  
 iii. repeating steps i and ii for each search keyword,  
 iv. summing the minima for each case study,  
 v. sorting the summed minima by size, and  
 vi. outputting the case study with the smallest summed minima.  
   
     
     
         12 . A server computer for searching for and locating a similar case study from a set of case studies (F i ) comprising: 
 a first database containing case study files and the case-study keywords assigned thereto;    a second database containing case study keywords organized into a tree structure;    a means for inputting a search query containing one or more search keywords (S j );    a means for outputting one or more case studies and a list thereof; and    a computer program containing a set of instructions for determining one or more case studies similar to the search query comprising, 
 i. calculating the distances from the search keyword to each case study keyword,  
 ii. establishing a minimum (D j ) of the distances,  
 iii. repeating steps i and ii for each search keyword,  
 iv. summing the minima for each case study,  
 v. sorting the summed minima by size, and  
 vi. outputting a list of case studies sorted by size of summed minima.  
   
     
     
         13 . The server computer according to one of claims  11  and  12 , wherein a case study keyword is assigned to each node of the tree structure and a weighting (G) is assigned to each branch in the tree structure, such that the calculation of the distance from the search keyword to the case study keyword by the program comprises: 
 determining a shortest path in the tree structure from the search keyword to the case study keyword; and  
 summing the weightings of the branches of the shortest path.  
 
     
     
         14 . The server computer according to  claim 12  further including 
 a means for displaying a case study selected by a user from the sorted list; and  
 a means for automatically generating a search query with search keywords which are rigidly assigned to the displayed case study upon user activation of a virtual control element for searching for a case study which is similar to the displayed case study.